Agriculture at North Carolina State University at Raleigh

NC State's Agriculture associate's degree sits in an unusual spot: it ranks only in the 5th percentile nationally for earnings, yet lands at the 60th percentile among North Carolina programs. That gap exists because there are only two schools offering this degree in the state, and this one happens to be the higher earner of the pair—but both are struggling compared to the rest of the country.

First-year earnings of $37,103 fall just below the national median of $38,182, while debt of $17,500 runs 52% higher than typical. The resulting debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.47 means graduates carry debt equal to nearly half a year's salary. However, with fewer than 30 graduates tracked, these figures may not represent a typical outcome. It's worth asking why a selective research university (40% admission rate, 1380 average SAT) produces such modest returns for an associate's program when most agriculture associate's degrees cost less and earn slightly more.

The numbers suggest this path may not optimize value. If agriculture is the goal, exploring programs at the 75th percentile nationally—where earnings reach $38,722 with typically lower debt—could deliver better returns. The small sample size means one or two atypical outcomes could be skewing these results significantly, making this a risky bet without more information about what's driving the earnings pattern.